Occupational health and safety news and guidance

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that Central (High Rise) Ltd, based at Thoresby Avenue, Sneinton, Nottingham, has been prosecuted after one of its workers was killed and another injured in two separate falls.

Brian Collins was setting up abseiling equipment at Sutton Bridge Power Station, when he fell through an open grating in a platform. He fell 34 metres and died at the scene.

In a separate incident, two employees were performing maintenance on the rocks below Nottingham Castle. To reach some debris on a ledge, they attempted to abseil down but used the wrong equipment. The first worker reached the ledge safely, but the second worker experienced an uncontrolled descent, falling between eight and ten metres to the ground and breaking a bone in his back.

The company pleaded guilty to one charge in relation to the death of Mr Collins and one charge in relation to the incident at Nottingham Castle. The company was fined £100,000 and was ordered to pay £32,000 costs.